Residency waiver fee payment means no cornerstone (TESU)

[longtermstudent]

This was brought up in a thread about my plan to get a BSBA at tesu (now liberal studies, cause.... easier). With the advice of jsd, so that more people could be aware and maybe share if they have been told the same thing I will copy and paste this wall of text:

On the topic of the residency waiver and not taking the cornerstone. I was speaking with an advisor and figuring out what I needed to do and mentioned the cornerstone course. He said I would not need to take it if I paid the residency waiver prior to graduation. I had not seen anything on the TESU website about this, so I asked him where I could find it. He couldn't find it either. He told me to ask the registar to confirm in writing via email.

I emailed the registar this:

"I was told by an academic advisor that if I intend to pay the residency waiver that I would not need to take the cornerstone course TES-100? I am sending this message to verify this."

My response was:

"(My name), you are correct. If you pay the $2,000 Residency Waiver Fee, the 1 credit TES-100 is not required. Best wishes, Elaine Scheff "

I brought up the issue again when on the phone with an advisor due to the fact I am a little paranoid and if I can't find it on the website I feel a bit insecure on the matter. It was confirmed again. Some time goes on and I decided to switch to liberal studies as it would greatly accelerate my degree completion based on what I have taken. I talk to another advisor, bring up the cornerstone again, he says that I would not need to take it since I will be paying the residency waiver. I send this email to academicadvising@tesu.edu:

"I would like to change my major from BSBA in General Management to Liberal Studies. I would like to keep the BSBA in General Management as a potential degree. Also, I would like to confirm I do not need to take the cornerstone course if I plan to pay the residency waiver."

I get this in response:

"I have changed your degree program to BA Liberal Studies and left the BSBA Gen Man as a potential. Also, as long as you pay the residency waiver fee you will not have to take the cornerstone course unless you want to."

So, I have it in writing from both advising and the registars office that I would not have to take the cornerstone course if I pay the residency waiver fee. However, I am still a bit concerned about it due to the fact at the very latest I would have to schedule it in october if this proved to be false and it not being on the website anywhere I can find. I really would like to meet my goal of a March 2017 conferral and the sooner I wrap up all my work the earlier I can start to benefit from saying I have a completed degree (finally).

If anyone else could confirm that they have heard the same thing, feel free. Again, I find it odd that it is not on the website.

[Nixi]

However, I am still a bit concerned about it due to the fact at the very latest I would have to schedule it in october if this proved to be false and it not being on the website anywhere I can find.

Let's say you were given false information (which you weren't), you have it in writing that you won't have to take the 1-credit cornerstone as long as you pay the $2,000 Residency waiver--TESU would see that and waive that requirement for you.

So honestly, there's nothing to be concerned about.

[keepsingin]

This could be another loophole that they're going to close next year lol

[lovewins]

Ive never heard of the cornerstone course and dont see it listed in my Academic Eval for BA in Soc Sci, Sociology or Psychology....is this only for certain degrees and not others????

[jsd]

It's part of the general ed requirements. But looks like you won't have to worry about it.

[ndelco]

That's awesome...a savings of $300! Now I need to fill in that missing 1 credit with an elective. Any cheap, easy, 1 credit general ed electives out there? Study.com's 1 credit Public Speaking will transfer in as a duplicate of the Straighterline course, correct? Com-209 for both? Study.com has a Com-300 Intro to Business Communication and Lit-208 English Lit and both could work for the 1 credit elective, I believe. That's not really cheap for most people but won't affect me with the year subscription. Any better ideas?

[dfrecore]

That's awesome...a savings of $300! Now I need to fill in that missing 1 credit with an elective. Any cheap, easy, 1 credit general ed electives out there? Study.com's 1 credit Public Speaking will transfer in as a duplicate of the Straighterline course, correct? Com-209 for both? Study.com has a Com-300 Intro to Business Communication and Lit-208 English Lit and both could work for the 1 credit elective, I believe. That's not really cheap for most people but won't affect me with the year subscription. Any better ideas?

Yes, Public Speaking is a duplicate. The free TEEX 301 course will also come into Gen Ed. There are lots of options. Also, it can't hurt to take a 3cr course, as any overages will be applied to other areas, depending on which course you take. Worst case scenario is Free Electives.

[davewill]

Ive never heard of the cornerstone course and dont see it listed in my Academic Eval for BA in Soc Sci, Sociology or Psychology....is this only for certain degrees and not others????

It was added this last spring, so if you were enrolled before then it does not apply to you. There was another big change, if you have not already met the 16cr residency (was 24), you can no longer use TECEPs, PLA, or ePacks to do so. Instead they added the $2000 waiver for folks who don't want to take all those courses.

[lovewins]

It was added this last fall, so if you were enrolled before then it does not apply to you. There was another big change, if you have not already met the 16cr residency (was 24), you can no longer use TECEPs, PLA, or ePacks to do so. Instead they added the $2000 waiver for folks who don't want to take all those courses.

So if youre not a Jersey resident, then thats $2000 ON TOP OF the $1497 in tuition?? (Im only taking the 3 credit Capstone at TESU). So basically I have to pay $3500 for this Capstone?? banghead

[davewill]

So if youre not a Jersey resident, then thats $2000 ON TOP OF the $1497 in tuition?? (Im only taking the 3 credit Capstone at TESU). So basically I have to pay $3500 for this Capstone?? banghead

Were you taking TECEPs to meet the residency? How many have you gotten done? If you got enough of them in, you could avoid the waiver fee.